Word Direct Answers

What does "ferret" mean?

Ferret: An animal of the Weasel family (Mustela or Putorius furo), about fourteen inches in length, of a pale yellow or white color, with red eyes. It is a native of Africa, but has been domesticated in Europe. Ferrets are used to drive rabbits and rats out of their holes.

Additional senses

  1. 2.To drive or hunt out of a lurking place, as a ferret does the cony; to search out by patient and sagacious efforts; -- often used with out; as, to ferret out a secret. Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him. Shak.
  2. 3.A kind of narrow tape, usually made of woolen; sometimes of cotton or silk; -- called also ferreting.
  3. 4.The iron used for trying the melted glass to see if is fit to work, and for shaping the rings at the mouths of bottles.

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